Easy Creamy Lemon Sauce (with secret ingredient!)
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Need a way to elevate your recipes each week? This delicious lemon cream sauce is the answer! It’s similar to a lemon beurre blanc sauce, but with my own cheesy twist for a richer, creamier sauce.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Its citrusy, cheesy, herby flavour makes it a great choice for a weeknight meal. This quick and easy lemon cream minced garlic sauce is perfect for elevating chicken, pork, pasta, veggies, you name it! Here are some reasons you’ll love it :
- Flavorful: This lemon cream sauce is made with ingredients like fresh lemon juice, Boursin cheese, parsley, and fresh garlic, all delicious, flavor-packed items. They combine to create a mouthwatering flavour.
- Elevates meals: This creamy lemon sauce can take any protein or carb (like noodles) to the next level with its bold taste. Your family members will feel like they’re dining at a fine restaurant anytime you whip up a batch of this lemon sauce.
- Versatile: Use this lemon butter sauce for various dishes, including poultry, meat, pasta, etc. You can also adjust the flavours by adding freshly grated parmesan cheese or heavy whipping cream.
Spice up your weekly recipes with these sauces: Steak Dipping Sauce, Quick Green Spinach Pasta Sauce, or The Best Cranberry Sauce.
Ingredients
The ingredients that make this Creamy Lemon Sauce recipe fantastic are the following:
Lemons: I love using fresh lemons to create this lemon cream sauce. If you want to add a fun, elevated flair to dishes, zest one lemon to use as a garnish later for the finished sauce. This recipe will also work with other citrus, like limes or oranges.
Boursin: My twist on this lemon cream sauce for chicken is using Boursin cheese, a creamy, rich cheese. This cheese acts as a replacement for the cream, giving the recipe an even more delicious flavour.
Parsley: Fresh parsley really ties this creamy lemon butter sauce together. Adding parsley as a garnish makes this recipe feel restaurant-worthy. It also adds a fresh taste to the recipe. You can also use fresh herbs like basil or dill.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Try these tasty lemon cream sauce variations to make this recipe your own!
- Make it Vegan: If you follow a vegan lifestyle or diet, you can easily turn this recipe vegan with a few swaps. Use vegan unsalted or salted butter, vegetable broth, and dairy-free Boursin cheese instead. Follow the directions below using these swaps, and you’ll have a delicious, creamy lemon pepper sauce!
- Add capers: Their tangy taste perfectly complements this lemon sauce for chicken, giving the sauce a more elevated feel. I recommend using a few tablespoons in the sauce to start with, but you can always add more if you prefer a stronger caper taste.
- Nix the Dairy: You can make this quick lemon cream sauce dairy-free by using vegan butter and dairy-free Boursin instead.
How to make Creamy Lemon Sauce
- Add butter, garlic and zest of 1 lemon to a frying pan and fry for 3 minutes over low heat (Image 1).
- Add a splash of chicken stock to stop the garlic from cooking (Image 2).
3. Add the Boursin cheese and loosen it with a splash of chicken stock (Image 3).
4. Once you are able to mix the cheese around, continue to slowly add the chicken stock while stirring until it is completely incorporated into the mixture (Image 4).
5. Add the juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 tbsp of white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and lots of black pepper to the pan (Image 5).
6. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, around 2 minutes, or until your desired consistency (Image 6).
Use leftover lemons to make these delicious savoury dishes: Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, Lemon and Thyme Chicken Thigh Tray Bake, or Cavolo Nero with Garlic & Lemon.
Tips for the best result
- Season with lots of pepper to cut through the richness.
- Mix the lemon, cream cheese and stock the right way so they don’t curdle. Be sure to cook the sauce on low (not medium) heat and whisk well when adding the lemon juice and stock slowly. Make sure you whisk well to help avoid curdling.
- Make a big batch and store it in the fridge. This delicious lemon cream sauce can stay good in the fridge for 4-5 days. I recommend making a bigger batch so you can use it for different dishes throughout the week.
- Use this sauce over anything and everything because it is delicious. It’s so flavourful that you’ll want to use it for every lunch and dinner! Add this sauce to anything, from pan-fried tofu to stir-fried noodles.
How do you mix lemon with cream without it curdling?
This simple lemon cream sauce is made without eggs and with no cream. However, the method to ensure there isn’t any curdling is the same with boursin/cream cheese.
There are a few ways to avoid curdling cream while adding freshly squeezed lemon juice. Make the sauce at a lower temperature, as too high of heat can cause separated or curdled milk. Always be sure to whisk the lemon juice and cream well, as this will ensure the acid is not concentrated. As you add the lemon juice, it’s important to pour it into the pan slowly.
Make Ahead Instructions
This lemon cream sauce is pretty quick to make, but it can be made the night before if you know you’ll be crunched for time. Follow my recipe directions below, then allow the sauce to fully cool. Add the leftover sauce to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to five days.
If you plan to make creamy lemon sauce for chicken, you can also cook the chicken beforehand. I’d recommend packing them in separate containers once cooked and cooled, so you can use the sauce for multiple recipes. The chicken should stay good for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
Once this lemon cream sauce is made, there’s so much you can do with it! Try pairing this lemon cream sauce recipe with chicken, fish, pork, or steak.
You can even brush it on meat or veggie kebabs before grilling. Turn it into lemon butter sauce pasta by tossing it with noodles. Enjoy this mouthwatering sauce on veggies like grilled asparagus or steamed broccoli – the options are never-ending!
Here are some recipes you could try it with this lemony sauce:
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
This lemon cream sauce stores in the fridge well, making it perfect for lunches and dinners throughout the week. Be sure to use the storage directions below for the best results.
Refrigerator: Let the lemon sauce recipe cool all the way before storing it in an airtight container. Be sure to use it within 5 days!
Freezer: Since this sauce has lemon juice and dairy, I would not recommend freezing it. There’s a high likelihood it will curdle or separate in the freezer.
Reheat: For the best results, reheat this yummy sauce in a saucepan over low heat. Make sure you are stirring/whisking constantly. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to help bring the sauce together.
Recipe FAQs
This lemon cream sauce is not meant to be thick (think a creamier version of piccata sauce!). As it cools, it should thicken slightly. If you prefer a thicker citrusy cream sauce, slowly add more lemon juice while whisking. The acidity of the lemon can help create a thicker sauce.
This sauce is meant to be citrusy and tangy. However, you can adjust the sourness of the recipe by adding less lemon juice. Adding some cream will also help cut the sour taste.
Yes, you can use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh juice to create this white wine lemon butter sauce! Use about 2.5 tablespoons of juice per lemon for this swap.
If the sauce is broken, take it off the heat and let it cool a little bit. Slowly add a tablespoon of ice-cold water or cream to the sauce while whisking continuously. This should help the sauce come back together.
Yes, you can use milk to create this sauce. However, it won’t offer the same decadent flavour and will have a thinner consistency. Also, lemon juice is more likely to curdle the milk more easily, causing a broken sauce. A higher-fat form of dairy (like Boursin or cream) is your best bet for this recipe.
Pair this delicious lemon garlic cream sauce with these mains for a comforting meal: Parmentier Potatoes, Easy Rice with Chicken Broth and Butter, or Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes.
If you tried this Creamy Lemon Sauce Recipe, it would mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Easy Creamy Lemon Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 lemons (£0.60)
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (£0.39)
- 150 g boursin (£2.32)
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped (£0.52)
- 50 g butter (£1.99/5=£0.50)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- Lots of black pepp
- 200 ml chicken stock
Method
- Note: if serving with chicken, fry the 300g chicken breast with 1 tbsp olive oil for around 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and deglaze the pan with a splash of stock, the proceed with step 1
- To a large frying pan, add the butter, garlic and the zest of 1 lemon. Fry over a low heat for around 3 minutes.
- Next, add the boursin to the pan and loosen with a splash of stock. Once slightly loosened, continue to slowly pour the stock into the pan whilst continuously stirring to incorporate the stock into the boursin.
- Add the juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 tbsp of white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and lots of black pepper into the pan. Cook until thickened slightly, for around 2 minutes, or until your desired consistency is achieved.
- Top with some decorative lemon slices, some fresh parsley and more black pepper.
Notes
- To prevent curdling, combine the lemon juice, cream cheese, and stock carefully. Cook the sauce over low heat—not medium—and slowly add the lemon juice and stock while whisking continuously. Whisking thoroughly is key to keeping the sauce smooth.
- Stays fresh for 4–5 days and is perfect to have on hand for quick meals throughout the week.
- This sauce is incredibly versatile and packed with flavor—you’ll want to pour it over just about everything! Try it with pan-fried tofu, stir-fried noodles, or any dish that needs a rich, zesty boost.
- Don’t forget to season generously with black pepper.
Nutrition
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